Bottle crate

ABSTRACT

Bottle crate, preferably molded from a synthetic resin material and suitable for handling bottles, e.g. those for beverages, milk and the like. Openings are provided, allowing the bottles in the compartments of the crate to tilt into inclined positions when the crate is stacked on its side. The bottles cannot slip out of the compartments.

[ May 7,1974

United States Patent Arjas BOTTLE CRATE nxxn O MO D712 NW 02 22 2 n. k0 s k h.w c-l SE 1975 7560 9999 HHHH 2293 4 59 8607 86300 2 42 ,9 1 323 m. m m .m h .F .m .m e m D. 6 m m T T y r 0 A S i. .l v v .m a O S m n n g e m V S I A l 5 3 7 .l l

[22] Filed: Apr. 4, 1972 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price [21] App]. N0.: 241,030 Assistant Examiner-Steven M. Pollard Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Tab T. Thein Foreign Application PriorityData [57] ABSTRACT Bottle crate, preferably molded from a synthetic resin Apr. 7, i971 978/71 [52] U5. 220/21, 220/97 R, 220/DIG. l5 51 Int. B65d 1/24 matenal and smable handlmg for beverages, milk and the like. Openings are pro- 220/23.6, 102, DIG. 2, DIG. 15, 97 R, 97 B Field of Search vlded, allowing the bottles 1n the compartments of the crate to tilt into inclined positions when the crate is stacked on its side. The bottles cannot slip out of the compartments.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDM 1 m4 3809.279

sum 2 or 2 FIG-4 BOTTLE CRATE Bottle crate, more particularly a crate molded from a synthetic resin material and the like, suitable for storing bottles, e.g., those for beverages, milk and the like. In accordance with the invention, at least the longitudinal side panels and partitions between the bottle compartments are provided with openings, preferably at the lower parts of the compartments, allowing the bottles therein to tilt into inclined positions.

It is well known to form crates from synthetic resin materials, hereinafter referred'to broadly as plastics. Bottle crates are manufactured mainly in two types. One type is provided with compartments for each bottle, and the other is without compartments. In the first type the bottles are better protected during the handling of the crates because partitions between the compartments prevent the bottles from striking against FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the crate shown in FIG.

1, also with parts broken away to better show some details;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the inventive crate but seen from the side of a shorter side wall, also with parts broken away; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the crate seen again from the side of the shorter side wall as in FIG. 3 but when the crate lies on its side wall, stacked on a similar crate, so that each other so that they will not be damaged as easily as in crates without compartments.

In marketing shops or stores beverage bottles are usually held in crates which are stacked one on the other to save the floor area of the store. It isvery difficult and troublesome to take out bottles from the crates in the lower part of a stack. Because of this effect the crates are, in some stores, placed on racks of a special construction where they 21 maintained in an inclined position so that the bottles can easily be taken out of all crates on the racks. These display racks are however quite expensive, and the placing of the crates on the racks is also a slow and troublesome job.

To solve this problem there vare set forth arrangements where the construction of the crates allows their stacking on their side walls, one on the other, so that the bottles in the crates are in a horizontal position. This causes however the defect that the bottles easily slip out of the crates during the stacking stage and they break when they fall on the floor.

The purpose of theinvention is to provide a simple solution to the defects described before and to produce a new and improved bottle crate where the bottles keep their places much better than in known crates, also when the crate is stacked on'its side wall.

The bottle crate according to the invention is provided with compartments for each bottle, which are formed by several partitions, mainly parallel with the side walls or panels of the crate, and the invention is characterized mainly in that at least the longitudinal walls and .the partitions between the compartments are provided with openings at the lower part of each compartment, thus allowing the bottles therein to tilt into inclined positions when crates are stacked on their sides so that slipping of the bottles out of the compartments is prevented.

Openings can also be provided at the middle parts of the compartments, for manual handling, such as carrying or stacking.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the follow ing detailed description, when considered with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. I is an elevational view of a preferably molded plastic bottle crate according to the invention, seen from the side of a longer side wall, and having parts broken away to show the construction more accurately;

the bottles in the crate lies in the compartments in a slightly inclined position, as shown.

The. bottle crate according to the invention is preferably made of a molded plastic material by a known process, and has a rectangular form with four mainly vertical side walls and a bottom. Its upper and bottom edges are stiffened by integrally formed flanges 1, 2 around the outer periphery of the crate. Somewhat below the upper flange l is a third, integrally formed horizontal or lengthwise stiffening rib 3 around the periphery of the crate. In the middle of all four side walls of the crate there are formed handling openings 4, 5 large enough to put ones fingers in for handling the crates, these openings bordering on side rib 3.

The bottom of the crate is formed on a uniform, rectangular grid construction 6 integrally molded with the walls and having ribs arranged diagonally with respect to the bottom. In the inner part of the crate are integrally molded rectangular compartments 7 for the botin the middle line of each partition. Corresponding openings 9 are also provided in the outer walls of the crate, as shown.

The formof the openings preferably broadens in downward direction. When the crate with the bottles therein is now placed lying on its side wall, the bottles will then take up inclined positions because they are supported in compartments 7 by the upper parts of partitions 8,while openings9 allow the'tilting of the bottles into the inclined positions as shown in FIG. 4 by broken lines. The lower parts of the bottles then partially extend into the respective lower compartments.

This special feature allows to keep the bottles in the compartments much better than in known crate constructions when the crates are stacked up on their side walls. This arrangement also prevents bottles from slipping out of the crates when a customer takes bottles out of them.

In FIG. 3 the bottle crate according to the invention is seen from the side of a shorter wall and placed next to adjacent crates. In this figure one can see the handling opening 5 in the end wall as well as bottle compartments 7 where partitions 8 are provided with openings 9 to bring about the effect described before. Also the bottles appearing in FIG. 3 in a vertical position are shown by broken lines. The bottles are usually in this position during transport and in the stock room of a brewery or at the wholesale dealer where the crates are stacked on top of each other in the usual manner.

The position of the bottles is drawn by broken lines also in FIG. 4, when the crates are stacked on their side walls. The bottles now lie in their compartments according to the invention at an inclined angle of about 8 to (depending on the measurements and the form of openings 9 in partitions 8), while the bottles are supported above their centers of gravity by the upper edges of the partitions so that their lower parts will tilt downwards into openings 9.'Thus the bottles will remain properly in their places or seats when the crates are stacked on their side walls, e.g.,- in a selling position as frequently used in supermarkets and the like.

The form of openings 9 in partitions 8 appears more accurately in FIG. 1. It should also be noted that the outer walls of the crate must be provided with similar openings 9 because the bottles nearest to the side walls must also be allowed to assume inclined positions in the side-wall type stacking of the crates.

To obtain a strong construction for the crate walls, openings 9 in the side walls are bordered by integral stiffening ribs 10. To have a firm position for the bottles during the lateral stacking of the crates, the side edges of openings 9 are formed slightly elliptical, corresponding to a bevel cut from the cylindrical outer surfaces of standard-type bottles.

As shown in FIG. 1, ribs 10 are joined by pairs above openings 9, and then they reach and are further joined to rib 3 around the cratefor added rigidity.

The crates are further provided with gripping and steering means 1 l, 12 causing the effect that the crates when stacked side by side and one on each other in an upright position will keep connected with each other, thus making possible transportation with a fork truck and the like in a store. The crates will'also keep connected with each other in the side walls by the effect of these means 11 and 12, preferably in the form of mating protrusions and recesses. They are arranged symmetrically in regard of the vertical middle line of the side wall of the crate and in such a manner that one of these means will fit into the other, as can be visualized in FIG. 3 between the fully illustrated center crate and the two broken-away portions of the adjoining two crates.

The form of openings 9 is not restricted to the form described here but many other forms can be. used. The main feature is that the upper edges of the compartments are complete so that the space for the movement of the bottles is limited at the'upper parts, but instead there is provided more space for movement at the lower parts of the compartments by the arrangement of the openings in the partitions, in accordance with the invention, so that the bottles can take up the described inclined positions when the crates are stacked on their side walls.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example described which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is: I

1. A bottle crate comprising a substantially rectangular grid-type bottom panel including diagonal stiffening ribs therein, side panels integrally formed with said bottom panel, and partitions between the compartments, parallel to said side panels, the crate being open at its top, for forming integrally molded compartments for the bottles, intersection lines between the walls of said compartments, and also between said walls and said side panels, being continuous, and wherein at least the longitudinal side panels and said partitions are provided with substantially symmetrical openings closer to the compartment ends which adjoin said bottom panel, between said intersection lines of the compartment walls, said openings having outlines that broaden toward the bottom of the crate, allowing the bottles placed therein to tilt into inclined positions when the crate is stacked on its side, one crate on another in a stack of crates, so that slipping of the bottles out of the compartments is prevented, yet allowing each bottle freely and individually to be removed from its compartment regardless of the number of the crates that are stacked on their sides.

2. The bottle crate as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least partly transversal ribs along the side edges of said openings for strengthening the latter in said longitudinal side panels.

3. The bottle crate as defined in claim 2, further comprising lengthwisestifi'ening ribs integrally formed with said side panels, wherein said transversal ribs are joined by pairs above said side edges of the openings and extend toward said open top of the crate, then being joined to said lengthwise ribs.

4. The bottle crate as defined in claim 1, wherein at least said longitudinal side panels are provided with handling openings at the middle parts of the compartments, allowing the crate to be carried, stacked and otherwise handled.

5. The bottle crate as defined in claim 1, further comprising gripping means in said side panels, to allow interengagement between adjoining crates when placed side-by-side or one laterally on top of the other.

'6. The bottle crate as defined in claim 5, wherein said gripping means is in the form of respective protrusions and recesses disposed substantially symmetrically in regard of the vertical middle lines of said side panels, namely a protrusion on one side and a recess on the other. 

1. A bottle crate comprising a substantially rectangular gridtype bottom panel including diagonal stiffening ribs therein, side panels integrally formed with said bottom panel, and partitions between the compartments, parallel to said side panels, the crate being open at its top, for forming integrally molded compartments for the bottles, intersection lines between the walls of said compartments, and also between said walls and said side panels, being continuous, and wherein at least the longitudinal side panels and said partitions are provided with substantially symmetrical openings closer to the compartment ends which adjoin said bottom panel, between said intersection lines of the compartment walls, said openings having outlines that broaden toward the bottom of the crate, allowing the bottles placed therein to tilt into inclined positions when the crate is stacked on its side, one crate on another in a stack of crates, so that slipping of the bottles out of the compartments is prevented, yet allowing each bottle freely and individually to be removed from its compartment regardless of the number of the crates that are stacked on their sides.
 2. The bottle crate as defined in claim 1, further Comprising at least partly transversal ribs along the side edges of said openings for strengthening the latter in said longitudinal side panels.
 3. The bottle crate as defined in claim 2, further comprising lengthwise stiffening ribs integrally formed with said side panels, wherein said transversal ribs are joined by pairs above said side edges of the openings and extend toward said open top of the crate, then being joined to said lengthwise ribs.
 4. The bottle crate as defined in claim 1, wherein at least said longitudinal side panels are provided with handling openings at the middle parts of the compartments, allowing the crate to be carried, stacked and otherwise handled.
 5. The bottle crate as defined in claim 1, further comprising gripping means in said side panels, to allow interengagement between adjoining crates when placed side-by-side or one laterally on top of the other.
 6. The bottle crate as defined in claim 5, wherein said gripping means is in the form of respective protrusions and recesses disposed substantially symmetrically in regard of the vertical middle lines of said side panels, namely a protrusion on one side and a recess on the other. 